Might of One EP 10: Heaven and Hell
by SoulsSwords
Summary: Their journey is far from over, Maxi has informed the trio that Soul Edge is being rebuilt and must not exist. Upon resolving to destroy it themselves, the gang joins Maxi on their quest to Osthreinsburg Castle. Along the way they meet the Man in Crystal Amour himself...and someone much less welcoming...
1. Tears

** Souls_&_Swords: TENTH EPISODE! WOOT! WOOT! First off, I'd like to thank all my readers and reviewers who've given this series a chance and followed it avidly =) You guys are my motivational drive that keeps me writing and together, we are Souls that have come together (see what I did there? Ha…ha…) okay, any way, onward with the episode!**

Cotton candy like clouds dove over the horizon into the yellow and orange sky. The morning in the Ming Dynasty was a vision never to be forgotten. The Luoyang Palace was one of the best places to see them, especially for the Yan family. Leixin stood outside with his father admiring the view; their maids made their breakfast and morning tea. They treated their maids like family; they were not of any royalty, but Yan Wujin and his family were from a long line of war heroes, it was their pleasure.

"Hey dad…" the young boy mumbled breaking the silence, "When do you think mother will wake up?" it had been nearly a whole day since Natsu healed Xianghua, yet she hadn't budged an inch. She still lied there in the infirmary, bandaged and weak.

"I'm not sure Leixin, but that girl proved to be of use," he stated, referring to Natsu, "I'm sure it's only a matter of time." Xiba had stepped outside; he was looking for the others but only found the father and son. The red-haired staff inheritor went to turn around but Wujin caught his attention,

"Good morning um…" he'd just lost his name, "Uh…"

"Xiba." He beamed.

"Xiba." The general confirmed, Leixin laughed,

"You're the one my sister wouldn't stop talking about earlier."

Xiba raised a brow, and Yan Wujin grew suspicious, while he was fond of his daughter and wanted what was best for her, even if he thought it was marrying her off, he still had to judge for his own opinion. "Oh, so my daughter's fond of you?"

Xiba shrugged, still quite oblivious, "She's cool. Natsu was the one who found both of us though." Yan Wujin nodded; he seemed too innocent to want to try anything with his fifteen year old "little" girl. He then suddenly remembered, judging by the staff strapped on the back of his shirt exactly who he was,

"Wait…aren't you the boy who's father…" he halted himself, not wanting to upset the boy,

"Yeah, it's fine." Xiba nonchalantly exclaimed. After an awkward silence, he took a step back into the mansion, "Well, I was just looking for my friends…I'll see you later-"

"Hold it." Yan Wujin calmly stopped him, "Aren't you devastated?" Xiba, befuddled, turned back around, "Your father has just passed on, he was murdered no less." Xiba scowled angrily,

"We weren't very close…" was all he replied. Leixin grimaced; he couldn't imagine being estranged from his family, especially Leixia or their father. The general frowned and waved a hand,

"Well, here. Let me fix that for you."

"Wha~?"

"Come…" Xiba walked over, standing in between the thirteen year old and the war leader, "Every morning ever since he was born, my son and I would watch the sunrise…" Xiba nodded, "We would embrace its beauty; the start of a new day that we live together, grow together, love toge-"

"I'm bored." Xiba turned around and walked back inside. He wasn't in the mood for that mushy stuff. The two only watched the monkey boy enter the house.

"Oh…alright?"

Leixia used her left hand to wrap her fingers around the hot tea cup, slurping it softly and, with her shaky, bad hand placed it down. Leixia was right handed (from her perspective), which in this case was broken. The girl with her elegant bob cut turned to her comrade on the bed next to her. Natsu was on her stomach with her arm tucked under the pillow sleeping.

She seemed peaceful and childlike, not a disturbance nor toss since the night before. After comforting her, Leixia had brought in a wooden chair and slept in it in case Natsu needed her. She was more than a friend to her, more like an older sister; she'd always taken care of her on their adventures…now it was her turn.

The young woman looked at the ninja sadly; she'd never seen her so distressed before. Leixia hated Arahabaki with all her heart for this, for torturing her for her selfish motives. Then again, she didn't expect anything more from a demon. It repulsed her; the wicked cruelty of the serpent's being. She quietly stood up and knelt over her dear friend. Looking over the tawny haired ninja's left shoulder, she counted the petals on her flower birthmark, one appeared as a scar, freshly scabbed over. Only five remained. What did all of this mean she wondered, but then she heard a soft moan.

Natsu stirred from her sleep and blinked her lime green eyes. Her hair was a mess, as usual she'd say. "Hey." Leixia whispered, kneeling down next to the bed,

"Leixia?" she blinked, "Why are you here?" she pushed herself upward with her arms out, like a cat. She stretched her back tilting her neck upward,

"I wanted to make sure you were okay…I stayed here in case you needed me." She smiled. Natsu put her legs off the bed, facing her body towards Leixia,

"I was really a mess last night huh?" A hysterical one at that,

"Don't worry about it." She sat back on the chair, Natsu then remembered the cast. She gently put one hand over it and her palm steadily above Leixia's ulna.

"Here, I can heal that." She smiled, if she could repair damaged internal organs, she was sure she could mend the bone. This process had to be slow however; if Natsu were to heal it too rapidly, the bones would fuse at the position they were in permanently. Then in order to set the arm back correctly, it would have to be broken again.

As a green aura glowed from her palm, Leixia looked at the cheerful girl worriedly, "Do you remember anything from last night?" Natsu pursed her lips, shaking her head,

"No…I honestly don't. I remember _something _happening, but I guess my mind blacked it out." She explained, did she know about her birthmark?

"Well…your birthmark it-" Leixia hesitated, not wanting to worry Natsu. She sucked it up and told her the truth, "Another one's missing." Natsu's eyes froze, they were owl-like,

"I-it is?" she used the hand she was using to hold the arm in place to rub over the bare skin. Indeed, she felt the rough, patchy texture of the scab. She went back to healing. Natsu gulped, this was bad…only five remained. It seemed like much but now with her being eighteen…what could she do?

Leixia suddenly flinched, feeling pressure on her arm, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah…my arm just suddenly feels soar all of the sudden…" but she had feeling in it again! Natsu continued, she could hear the union of the bones, they mended together slowly. She couldn't really hear; more so feel. It was an interesting experience to feel the person's body healing…it was creepy yet soothing at the same time.

After a moment, Natsu felt she was finished. Leixia stared in wonder as she opened and closed her fingers; "No way!" she smiled. The ninja picked up her sword Kuzukiri and carved the cast open. It fell as two pieces onto the wooden floor. Leixia was in full control of her body once again. She lifted her arm up and down, nothing different about its weight or its flexibility. She wondered, "Natsu, may I see your sword?" she handed it over,

"Why?"

"I want to see if I have the strength to…" she then realized what she held was a kodachi, much shorter and lighter; it required less force than the Jian blade that Leixia normally used. "Hm…" she grimaced, "This will be interesting." She then did her own personal demonstration of the swordplay her mother passed onto her. Letting out small grunts and sighs as she would stop to do a stance. Natsu was entranced at her graceful sword dance, despite the changes due to the sword type. She felt a thicker handle on her hand when she sat back down on the bed; she looked at Mekki-Maru, her mother's sword. It glowed with a strange aura still…if Soul Edge was still of no power, why did the sword breathe life?

Leixia finished, handing Kuzukiri back to its owner, "Thanks! I really owe you one!" she was herself once more.

"No problem!" Natsu giggled.

X-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-X

The trio, Leixia's father and brother, Setsuka, and Mitsurugi all joined at the breakfast table. The samurai placed his katana on the table, "God, I wouldn't mind living this life at all!" he leisurely leaned back into his chair, Setsuka gave him a look and grabbed his sword,

"It's not polite to place your weapons on the table!" She dropped it on the floor, he looked at the floral parasol that sat in front of her on the table,

"Oh! But your umbrella-" he bitterly stuttered, "Forget it!" the geisha laughed. She found a loophole in her weapon. Maxi entered the room, making Natsu blush. She leapt up and immediately bowed with her hands low in front of her body,

"Oh, good morning!" the gang turned to the sailor, who slept on a lumpy mattress. Though, he'd slept on worse,

"Morning to ya kid." He greeted. Natsu grew up knowing the custom of respecting the elder warriors, especially one who was fond of people she knew. "So!" He grabbed a chair and sat with the back railing in front of him so he could rest his arms on it, "What's to eat?" He was like this around Xianghua and figured he'd be treated the same by the others. But this wasn't the case, as they all stared awkwardly. Even Xiba had better table manners!

"What's wrong?" he wondered, then a female voice came from the hallway and the woman who made it staggered into the room.

"Maxi, you're giving me a headache. I told you tell the children I'll love them and miss them…" Xianghua moaned, looking as rich and lovely as ever. The Yan family was appalled, they all stared with wide eyes, she only gave a bubbly smile and winked, "Just kidding!" the Yan family jumped from their chairs,

"Mom!" Leixia cried as she darted towards her and immuring her in her arms, Leixin and Yan Wujin doing the same thing. Natsu was stunned…she'd saved her closest companions mother…yet she couldn't even save her own. Leixia turned around with a tearful smile, "Natsu! Thank you! Thank you for everything!" instead of cooing over the family reunion, the ginger-blonde suddenly rose, her chair screeching across the ground and left the room.

"Huh? Natsu?" Xiba watched, but she disappeared into the hallway. He stuffed a piece of bread in his mouth and followed her. After swallowing, and nearly choking he called out, "Natsu? Where'd ya go?" he kept optimism in his voice, but her turned around the corner to see her only standing there. She looked like she'd collapse; she had one hand on the wall.

"What's wrong?" he whined, approaching the Japanese warrior. Grief swelled in her emerald eyes, her body shook. The sorrowful loss hit her hard once again. The pain was like a tsunami; Natsu had gone through a phase of numbness, as if the water was receding…but then the tidal wave of pain, misery and grief all hit at once. She fell to her knees and began to bawl,

"**Mother!" **she cried into her hands, Xiba took a step back, she'd startled him a bit, "Mother!" she sobbed, her voice was broken. While she had done the right thing; saving Leixia from going through the pain she was that very moment, she wished she could've done the same for herself.

"I'M SORRY MOTHER!" she wailed. Xiba was saddened, yet he had no words that could ease her tears. The wild boy only sat down behind her and laid his cheek on the back of her head. "Mother…" she choked, continuing her unfinished mourning.


	2. Resolution

The family was as though they hadn't seen Xianghua in decades, overwhelmed with joy and relief that she was alive. Maxi was also having his own reunion with her, mentioning nothing about Kilik. They kept in touch through many, _many _written letters to each other. He'd never forget the scribbled mess of a note she'd sent of her hatred of Kilik for abandoning her, after everything she'd done to try and protect him.

He hoped this wouldn't mean she'd have anything against Xiba. Leixia had sat her down to tell her of the two wonderful people she met, one of which was the person who rescued her she mentioned. Setsuka and Mitsurugi all introduced themselves as well. They discovered to be on common grounds with Maxi, since the three were Japanese.

Xiba had accompanied Natsu in washing her face; it was damp from the warm water of the faucet, but she looked fresh and sanguine again. With a smile, she approached Xianghua, shyly. She bowed incorrectly once again, "Hello…it's very nice to meet you." Xianghua bowed with a hand in her fist,

"It's an honor to meet my savior." She stood upright with a smile, Natsu admired how pretty she was, Leixia looked just like her, "My, what a beautiful young lady you are." She added, Natsu reddened, "Thank you for taking care of my daughter…" she put a hand over her heart, "It's a relief she found such a wonderful person." Then she looked at the muscular adolescent behind her. Why did his face look familiar?

Xianghua stepped closer to him, "Are you Xiba, the benevolent 'monkey boy' Leixia told me about?" Xiba laughed,

"Yup!" wait a minute, "Huh? Benevolent?"

"She said a lot of nice things about you." Leixia blushed, hiding behind her brother, Xianghua was closely observing his eyes, she decided to tease her daughter, "Leixia, you were right! His eyes _are _gorgeous!" Leixia's face glowed red,

"Mother!" Xianghua giggled, but in all honesty, she had to figure this out, despite his red spiky hair, his facial structure was so…recognizable. Maxi smiled, putting a hand on the warrior's shoulder,

"Xianghua…Xiba is actually um…" he coughed, "Kilik's son." Xianghua's eyes bolted a size larger,

"Kilik's son?!" she then recognized the Kali Yuga strapped on his back, Xiba flinched, wincing. "Oh! Now I see, you look much like him!"

"No I don't…" he muttered.

"Well, not right away, but when you get closer the resemblance-" Maxi elbowed her rib, clearing his throat. They've known each other long enough to know that he was trying to tell her to shut up. "Well, either way, you're a handsome young man." Xiba snorted,

"Thanks." He didn't really have an opinion on himself, he'd rather not.

"I knew my daughter had good taste!"

"Mom!" Leixia shouted again, embarrassed. Lucky for her, Xiba was too happy-go-lucky to pick up on the signals. Natsu smiled at the friendly atmosphere around her…maybe things could finally be normal, but then her mother's kodachi on her back began to vibrate, a loud screeching noise pierced the room. Everyone covered their ears rapidly.

"What the hell is that?!" Leixin squealed, everyone was caught off guard. Natsu felt the shaking sensation on her back and grabbed Mekki-Maru. It glowed with a blood-red aura, the shaking was violent as even her hand was controlled by the force. Out of the blue, it suddenly ceased. The noise, the shaking, the disruption of the peace. It ended.

Everyone's hearts were racing; even the ninja's who was staring into the bizarre kodachi in her hands. "What…what just happened?" she gasped. Maxi stepped closer,

"I know." She turned to him, everyone did. Xianghua had grabbed her daughter and held her close to protect her in the chaos, "That's another reason why I came here. I found out that the evil sword's shards have been contracting energy, and its minions have been finding the pieces and putting them together at Osthreinsburg."

Xianghua was aghast, she remembered that castle, "Osthreinsburg…" she held Leixia, needing to keep her secure.

"What happened just now was what lured the minions in…" he stopped, looking at Mekki-Maru, "If they find all of the pieces, we're all doomed."

"Soul Calibur doesn't exist anymore…"

"But mother, I hid the Dvapara-Yuga in my room when I took it off!" Xiba unstrapped his rod,

"And what about the Kali Yuga?"

Maxi nodded, "It wouldn't matter, the Krita Yuga was destroyed…" he reminded his long time traveling companion, as that was once her faithful sword. Maxi hadn't realized that the contraction was caused by Mekki-Maru but rather some sort of side-effect, "That's why I have to go there and destroy whatever was rebuilt of it." Natsu shook,

"You're going to destroy Soul Edge?!"

He took out his nunchaku, "I don't have a choice…every time the sword is resurrected, it comes back stronger than before." Leixia freed herself from Xianghua's grasp,

"Mother, is this true?" she nodded a 'yes' concerned.

"And plus," the suave pirate continued, "If Soul Edge comes back…so will he." The older warrior's in the room froze with fear, but the teenaged trio had only lived long enough to read about it or hear about it, never experiencing true horror.

"The Azure Knight…" Natsu added. She was stunned, she never believed he would return, at least Chie assured her her entire life he never would.

"That's right." Maxi turned to her, "I'll be off now…" he looked at the people around him, including his dearest friend, "Don't worry." He smirked, "I'll be back." Natsu couldn't hold it in, she ran towards him,

"Wait!" she cried, "I'm going with you!" her dual kodachi in place on her bodysuit, Leixia and Xiba looked at each other with worry. "I've made it this far with only a few scratches and bruises;" she exclaimed, "I can do this! You have to trust me! Please accept my companionship!" she begged. This was her chance to prove herself un-evil, as Arahabaki claimed her to be.

Maxi looked at the young blonde below him, but then a male voice chimed in, "I'm coming too." Xiba stepped forward; if he were Kilik's son, then Maxi knew there was _definitely _no changing his mind. Leixia stepped away from her family, Xianghua reached a hand out, nervous,

"Don't think you're going anywhere without me." She proclaimed to Natsu. The two smiled at each other, the sisters. Leixin pointed a finger,

"But sis, your sword was crushed by the dragon!" he exclaimed, Leixia suddenly remembered, her faithful sword…obliterated.

"Don't worry." Xianghua pulled out her old sword No Name, still in perfect shape, "She can have my sword." She proudly handed her daughter the anonymous sword, the Chinese long blade was now passed to a new generation. Leixia graciously accepted it, beaming at her mother and sheathing it away on her hip.

The mother and daughter embraced, "I trust you…Leixia…you really are more like me than you think." Tears filled her eyes, after all, she was still her little girl.

"I love you mother." Leixia was emotional herself, she pulled away so they were eye to eye, "I swear, I'll be back home safe."

"You were the last time." Xianghua smiled. She then backed away into the room, admiring the Asian foursome, made of pure, strong-willed, and talented fighters.

"Well…we've got no time to waste!" Maxi nodded with a casual smile and turned around. The adolescents followed, stepping outside the palace doors and beginning their journey west. Their mission began now…


	3. Old Holy Warrior

"Maxi…" Xiba whined "How much longer?" he drew out his voice. They'd been walking for two days straight with barely any rest or food. They were still within China's mainland. Natsu and Leixia occasionally reminisced whenever they passed through a familiar town,

"Well, the ports are all closed due to an evacuation from the attacks, so a few more weeks." The sailor responded. They wouldn't be taking a boat anywhere soon…not with the rumors of the sword spreading across the lands.

"Can't we take a break?" the wild boy had never walked so long without stopping before in his life. At one point he was in another realm, off spacing out and he still continued to unconsciously follow Maxi. Leixia and Natsu were also irritated, they just tried avoiding complaining. Maxi was humming a tune to himself, "Maxi?" he moaned again, now he was trying to mess with him,

"Hey! I know you hear me!" Maxi smiled and began to whistle. This boy was irritable without his fair amount of sleep. Natsu's stomach rumbled,

"Oh…" she blushed, "You know, I am getting kind of hungry…" Leixia wiped her eyes,

"And I think in the next ten minutes if we don't stop I'm going to pass out." Her short hair wavered in the wind as she wobbled side to side while she walked. Maxi stopped and turned to the younglings behind him,

"Alright kids." He smirked, "Let's get serious; you've been travelling across the continent for quite some time…so this should be nothing, right?" He raised a brow, "What's _really _bothering you three?" The teenagers looked back and forth at each other, exchanging expressions,

"Well, when I first left Japan," she tawny haired ninja started, "I didn't expect so much danger, and now that I know Soul Edge is still around, I'm a lot more afraid than I was before." The others didn't respond, but Maxi shook his head; he was right! He loved being right.

"Well, listen…the fact that all of you are still alive now says something. Don't think I wasn't squeamish myself when I first left Japan to fight." The charming pirate exclaimed. "You three really have it in you." Natsu still seemed unsure of herself, looking down in shame,

"Setsuka and Mitsurugi offered to come with us…but I told them they should stay there and protect Leixia's family." Leixia raised a brow, not realizing that occurred before they left. It must've been while they were packing their belongings. "But now I feel insecure without them, mainly because they were-" She winced, "They were with my mother when I found them."

"Hm." He sighed, "Well you've got us." Maxi confirmed, "And those weapons on your back, you can use them can't you?" Natsu perked up just slightly,

"Well, yes, but-"

"Then you've got nothing to worry about." He reminded, turning around to continue their route to Europe.

"Ma-axi-i…" Xiba whined once more, he turned around,

"What now?" the boy clenched his abdomen,

"I've gotta go to the bathroom…" the red-haired Washu declared, his bladder contracting.

"Now?!" Maxi turned back, "Can't you hold it?"

"You said that an hour ago!" Xiba reminded, and boy was it a painful effort. Maxi swiped his palm down his face and sighed,

"Okay…does anyone else have to-" The two girls' hands shot up in the air, pain suddenly in their expressions. "Oh god…" he mumbled under his breath, "Fine, make it quick and-" the three suddenly dashed in three separate paths "Stay somewhere where I can see you!" he shouted, not wanting to lose anyone, he heard Xiba's voice,

"Hell no!"

"Gross, Maxi!" cried Leixia.

"That's indecent!" came Natsu's somewhere from far behind. Once the three relieved themselves, they were back on track. They were at last reaching the border between China and the Russian Empire within the next few days. Almost everyone was talking of the cursed sword's return and some strange light that would cast itself into the sky almost every night, as if the sword was trying to call his minions in, waiting for his last piece.

"Alright guys, we're actually getting by faster than I thought." Maxi stood at the brink of a cliff, looking off at a glorious view." Xiba walked up next to him,

"Wow…" he was enchanted himself. Mountains and rivers farther than the eye could see. Natsu and Leixia set up camp behind. Finally they could sit and do nothing. The sun beamed against their faces, Maxi couldn't help but note that Xianghua was right; when one looked at Xiba straight on, he did resemble Kilik when he was young. If his hair weren't dark red it would be more obvious.

"You know kid," he looked at the Kali Yuga strapped against Xiba's body, "That weapon you have belonged to your father," Xiba scowled,

"I know…" Maxi frowned,

"Well, did you know that that staff has powers of its own?" the wild boy nodded,

"I do, but I've never actually _seen _any of its powers."

"Well," Maxi sat down, Xiba joined him, "That's only when the staff is surrounded by energy…"

"What do you mean energy?"

Maxi remembered the Embrace of Souls, "Like Soul Edge or Soul Calibur; when an overwhelming amount of negative of positive energy surrounds the staff, its powers will unveil itself." Xiba stared in wonder,

"No way…" the adolescent now understood what was so special about the 'sacred staff' of his father. Maxi nodded,

"However, whether the rod itself is good or evil depends on the user. The energy can only awaken it, not corrupt it. That's all in the hands of its wielder." Xiba heeded his words and looked back out at the land ahead of him. "You know, your father wasn't always the way you saw him as…" Xiba turned to him; the suave man was now melancholic,

"He used to be a really good guy; sensitive, brave…but he needed the Dvapara-Yuga to keep him that way…" Maxi glared at the sixteen year old next to him, "Can you do me a favor kid? I don't blame you for hating him growing up but…can you not be so hard on your father?" Xiba's eyes gleamed with confusion and sorrow, "Please? He meant a lot to me kid." He turned to his best friend's son, "And now so do you." Xiba barely knew the guy yet he already felt fond of him. He only grunted in response and looked away.

Natsu threw down her now empty sack, "Finally! Now we can relax." The tents and sleeping packs were finally set up; she sat down landing on her bottom on the leaf-covered grounds. Summer was nearing its end and fall would be approaching soon. They had barely begun to change color, but the air was cooling over the course of their journeys.

"Hey Natsu," Leixia began, "After we destroy Soul Edge, what do you suppose we do?" the ninja lied on her back with her hands behind her head,

"We go home." She smiled, "I'll go back to Japan and see Chie…" she remembered the red ribbon tied around her thigh, she still had it, "I miss her so much…" Leixia pouted,

"Chie?"

"My adoptive mother." Natsu sat up, "She raised me after I was taken away from my mother." She frowned slightly, resting her head on her knees, "God…I hope she's not too worried about me." Leixia didn't want to hear that at all,

"What about us?" she whispered "What about Xiba and I? What will we do without you?" Natsu sat up puzzled,

"What do you mean?"

"Maybe Xiba will be okay, but I won't!" the fifteen year old declared, her hands balled into fists, "I'll miss you if you leave." She quivered, biting her lip. Natsu then understood; Leixia was the only one of the three to grow up in a fond, loving, and big family. She wasn't used to seeing people leave, which is what began the girl's separation anxiety. It was always either they're here to stay, or they go and they're gone forever. Leixia didn't want Natsu to be gone forever.

"Leixia…" she winced, befuddled. Natsu simply didn't believe in 'goodbye forever'.

"I know that I'm weak…" Leixia looked down, her elegant bob covered her eyes, she put a fist over her heart, "I know that crying because of someone leaving is weakness. But even if I know they are alive and doing well, I'll never have the joy of making new memories with them." Leixia looked up with thin blue tears in her brown eyes, "I know what you're thinking;" she analyzed Natsu's expression, "We have the happy memories we made, but that's not enough for me, and I don't think it ever will be. I want to have more memories with the three of you."

Natsu scooted closer, "It's normal to be sad when someone leaves, and even if I do go back to Japan, I'll be back one day!" she reassured, but Leixia shook her head,

"You shouldn't say promises unless you're sure of them." She looked up, "You promised Pyrrha and Patroklos you'd see them again one day."

"And we will!" Natsu looked up at the stars, "I promised myself I'd find my mother…" she looked back at the young lady in front of her, "And I did…I promised Chie I'd come home one day, and I will." Natsu took a second to let Leixia calm down, "And remember?" she began, "I promised you that I would _always _protect you." The two surrogate sisters then sat together in a peaceful silence. Comforted, Leixia rested her head on the ninja's shoulder.

"Natsu…" she began full of tears, "You're my sister." It was an equivalent to saying 'I love you' for her. Natsu held her close,

"You're mine too. And sisters are forever." She promised once again.

X-x-x-x-x-x-xx-x-x-x-X

The songbirds of the morning twilight joyously sang a paean to the earth below. The four all laid scattered around the camp site asleep. Leixia had overturned onto her back in her sleep, her head to her side, she felt her bangs fall in front of her face and, half asleep, blew them aside. When the stubborn hair fell once again Leixia blinked and wiped them away with her fingers when she noticed next to her, despite facing away and on his stomach was Xiba.

He was so childlike as he breathed softy in his sleep. She blushed and knelt up a little, observing the resting boy. Xiba appeared so serene, Leixia grinned and began to cuddle up next to him, she then jerked back. What was she thinking? She turned in the opposite direction; she'd only embarrass herself trying to get snug with Xiba…then she heard a small moan and something nudge on her back.

Xiba turned over onto his other side, not even conscious of it, deeply asleep. "Okay, that works." She gushed in her head with bright pink cheeks. She then saw the ponytailed eighteen year old ninja standing up with a tooth brush and some water. "Oh, just going to wash up." She thought, she was worried she was going somewhere. But then the ginger-blonde picked up a bag and began walking away,

"Natsu!" Leixia whispered loudly, not wanting to move from her lovely position with her crush, she turned around, "Where are you going?!"

"To brush my teeth!"

"I meant with that bag!" she bitterly commented, Natsu nodded,

"I'm going into town to buy us some food, don't panic." The conversation from the night before might still be on her mind she thought.

"By yourself?" it seemed suspicious, but Natsu just wanted some alone time for a bit, not getting any privacy in a few days was starting to bug her.

"It'll be fine, just let the others sleep and tell them I'll be back in a few minutes." Leixia grimaced, but she nodded anyway,

"Okay…" Natsu smiled and sauntered out of the forest. After brushing and rinsing her teeth, she put the hygienic brush back in her bag and looked around the town. One vender sold some simple breakfast meats and breads.

"I probably have enough." She thought aloud and walked over, in front of her in line stood tall man. She shyly backed away an inch and waited her turn. He had long blonde hair that was swept up with a couple of loose bangs.

"What'll it be good sir?" the vender asked, Natsu kept her low profile, intimidated by the man in front of her for some reason.

"Just the usual; I ran out of stock at home." He spoke in a gentle voice however, which soothed Natsu just a tad. The scrawny man behind the counter smiled and scooped the leaves out of the large pot and slid them into a canister. The man took the small container,

"Thank you." The man gave him some gold, but he refused it, "No no! Really, a man of your reputation doesn't have to pay!" Natsu looked up curiously.

"A man of my reputation? I didn't know I had one." He had a scar across his right eye and deep sapphire eyes. "But really, please take this; you stand here in the hot sun all day." The vender reluctantly took the gold in hand and shoved it into his coat pocket,

"Thank you! Thank you Siegfried!" why did that name sound common? Natsu was next in line, but as the man went to turn around, the vender called, "Oh, Sir Schtauffen," he began, "Have you heard of the malicious rumors that the wicked sword is returning?" the man froze, standing in place,

"I have indeed."

Natsu wasn't annoyed at all with the duration of her wait time, but she was rather intrigued by their conversation and this peculiar older man. "Do you believe that if Nightmare, the evil knight returns then…so will _he_?"

He who? She wondered. "The Man in Crystal Armor?" the young man finished. Natsu's heart skipped a beat. Her instincts told her that she just discovered a chance of a lifetime. Siegfried didn't answer; he closed his eyes bitterly,

"Maybe he will. Or maybe he won't." As he began to walk back to his home, Natsu's frozen features thawed and she darted out of the line,

"Ah-Eh," she shook all of her fear away, "Siegfried Schtauffen!" She shouted across the town. She'd gotten his attention. The man appeared about forty years old, he turned back to look for whom had just called his name. Natsu's heart pounded, but she approached him. He stared at the curious Asian, "Are you…" she kept her voice low, "The Man in Crystal Armor?"

There was a pause between the young adult ninja and the old, retired warrior, but Siegfried had a keen sense of trust in her.


	4. Hell's Angel

Siegfried welcomed her into his small home. He was more uncomfortable about having an eighteen year old in his house more than Natsu was about being in a forty year old man's house. It was such a humble wooden home; it reminded her of her home back in Japan. "So, um…" the old warrior began,

"Natsu." She introduced once again.

"Natsu, you came all the way here from Japan?" he poured her a cup of tea that was already made. She gingerly stood under the man who towered a stunning five inches over her; neither Xiba nor did Maxi reach that height!

"Yes sir…" she spoke in a shy, soft-spoken tone, "I did." Siegfried chuckled,

"No need to call me 'sir'. I get that far too often." He handed her a glass cup, "Careful, it's hot." She clasped it with both hands. Her fingerless gloves padded the heat. "Have a seat." He suggested, sitting at a table nearby. The ninja took her seat in front of the man. She worried about if he found out of the demon inside of her what would happen; a man of his benevolence talking to a half-human, half-demon. At least in her head.

"So Natsu, tell me; why did you come all the way here?" she blushed, shaking nervously.

"Oh, I, I came here searching for my mother but…" to make a long story short, "Sometime after I found her…" she looked away sadly, "She was killed." She could still remember Taki's smiling face as she passed away. Siegfried nodded,

"I'm sorry to hear that."

Natsu quickly set aside her sadness and looked at him sternly, "I have to ask you something!" She had changed so suddenly, she even spoke in her normal volume, "Where did you find Soul Calibur? How did you defeat Soul Edge?"

"Natsu-" he tried to ease the abruptly interrogating ninja.

"If Soul Edge gets all of its pieces, will The Azure Knight really return?! Where's the last piece?"

"Hey! Hey." Siegfried hushed her, trying to calm her down. Natsu had grown frantic due to the unanticipated meeting of such a significant man. "Easy there now. Just ask me one at a time and I'll answer your questions." He reassured. Natsu's blood pressure decreased as she took a slow breath,

"I'm sorry, I'm just nervous." She admitted.

"It's fine. Just repeat what you said." Siegfried grinned, trying to make her feel more welcome. Natsu looked at him with her emerald eyes again,

"What happened to Soul Calibur?" she began,

"It was destroyed; after I last defeated Nightmare…both swords were shattered to pieces. Soul Calibur reverted back to the three separate treasures…the first one, the Krita-Yuga, was shattered along with it." He solemnly declared, "There's no possible way to reincarnate the Holy Sword." Did this mean that the world was out of luck?

"Is there another way to destroy Soul Edge?" The ginger-blonde ninja begged to know. Siegfried nodded, giving optimism to the girl,

"There is an alternative." Natsu beamed her attention forward, even Siegfried could feel the energy, "One of the reasons I killed Nightmare so quickly, was because Soul Edge was overcome with power." Natsu leaned back, "You see, The Azure Knight is just a physical puppet controlled by the sword…when the sword is of no power, he will cease to exist. And in this case, the sword had more power than it could handle. Soul Edge was unstable." Natsu then remembered Mekki-Maru sheathed away along with Kuzukiri on her back.

"So…if these pieces were to come together…" she grabbed the hilt of her mother's hold sword, "And if one of them were overblown with power, then would Soul Edge collapse?" Siegfried nodded,

"That is a possibility. Now let me ask, why are you so curious about the wicked sword?" Natsu sat silently, only for a brief moment did she announce,

"Because I am on my way to destroy it." She took out Mekki-Maru; Siegfried recognized the foul aura it gave. She held the blade in front of the man, "This is the last piece of Soul Edge. Now I realize that." Siegfried was appalled,

"Where did you find that?!"

"When my mother first destroyed Soul Edge, she used a piece of it to make this sword in hope that she could use it for good." She put the sword back in its scabbard. "Unfortunately, that didn't work."

"First destroyed…" he thought for a moment, "Wait, you're Japanese, aren't you?" Natsu nodded,

"Yeah, why?"

"Soul Edge, the one that created Nightmare was destroyed by two Chinese warriors...but there was no legend of him being killed before. So that means…" Natsu jumped up from her chair,

"There are…_two_ Soul Edges?" she shivered.

Deep in the woods the now trio had all washed themselves and packed up their supplies, "Alright guys, you ready to get going?" Maxi called, Leixia stared out into the trees, anxiously waiting for Natsu's return. Xiba strapped Kali Yuga onto his back, noticing the girl pacing to herself, "Damn." Maxi mumbled to himself, "Hey, I'm gonna go rinse this shirt off at the lake real quick, okay?" The monkey boy nodded,

"Okay." After he left, Xiba approached the Chinese swordswoman, "Leixia, don't panic, she probably got stuck in a busy area." She sighed,

"I know, but I'm worried." She fiddled with her hands, "You know I worry easily Xiba."

He chuckled, "For someone who's in the army you do anyway." Leixia nodded in agreeance, too preoccupied to care about his persiflage. Xiba groaned, "Maxi says we can't stay here much longer, so unless she plans on coming back, we're probably gonna have to go get her." Leixia turned to the brawny boy,

"But then Maxi will come looking for us and then we'll have a huge mess." The red rose in her hair that matched her shirt was curled up, as if the petals were reflecting her anxious attitude. She'd lost Xiba's attention; he looked off intensely, as if focusing on something. It was as if he were a deer in the headlights, his movements completely frozen. "Xiba? What's wrong?"

He grabbed her wrist forcefully and tugged her down, backing up against a tree. "What are you-?"

"Shh!" he held her closely; he didn't like what he saw. The young woman blushed but then remembered that something alarmed him. Whatever, Leixia took advantage of the moment and wrapped her arms around his torso. The creature was nearing; they could hear the strange footsteps of what sounded like armor…yet light-footed armor. Xiba began to take out his staff. Leixia then realized she should do what was necessary and slowly unsheathed her mother's sword No Name.

"What did you see?" she whispered.

"I couldn't tell." He stiffened up, "It didn't look human." Leixia slowly postured herself so she was crouching, preparing to pounce,

"We're going to attack from both sides on three, okay?" Xiba nodded, Leixia counted down silently with her fingers.

"HIYAH!

"DAIYA!"

The two leapt from their hiding places and were in fighting stances; prepared for heavy battle when nothing was there. Leixia let her guard down, "Where'd it go?" Xiba remained in position, looking around with his swift rod. Maxi had seen the plight and walked up,

"What the hell are you guys doing?" he groaned. Leixia turned to him, but Xiba was still sure of what he'd seen, looking around like a guard dog,

"We thought we heard an intruder coming, so we were going to attack."

Maxi shook his head, "Probably just a deer or something."

"Oh sure." An unknown male voice called, "There's tons of wild life out here." A charming young man in silver armor leaned against a tree. They've never seen him before. Xiba loosened his position and stood upright. That wasn't the creature he'd seen.

"Who are you?"

The man smirked to the side.

X-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-X

Natsu left the town limits with no food in hand, but a mouthful of useful information on the wicked sword. She carried a melancholic expression as she walked, remembering the last few words with Siegfried,

"Thanks for everything!" she cheerfully said as she exited the small home. But as she went down the steps, hopping down the second to last one she saw a large shack just next door to the house. Its door slowly creaked open, leading into darkness. Curiosity got the best of Natsu and she crept towards the small barn-looking hut.

Upon poking her head in, it was so dark that not even the sunlight from outside could light the way. Perhaps the door wasn't open enough. Oh well. She tip-toed in, then she heard the scratching of metal on top of a chained bodysuit. "Hello?" Was someone in there? Something creaked in the wind, the ninja held out her hand to touch the source of the noise, walking deeper into the dark shack. She felt cold metal in front of her.

Upon looking up did her shrieks of terror begin, then halt, a hand smack itself over her mouth. Natsu reached for Kuzukiri as she struggled out of the man's hold. "Natsu! Calm down!" she screamed muffled underneath his hand, she panicked to be let out, crying,

"THE AZURE KNIGHT!"

"It's just armor!" he calmed her; she sobbed and hyperventilated in his arms, looking at the large, menacing empty shell of a night, "It's just armor." He soothed her. The old armor of Nightmare hung from the dark ceiling of the hut. After calming her down and brining her back out into the light did her reveal to her the truth.

Natsu thought about his words as she entered the wilderness where her friends awaited her, "Once the wicked sword had control over me, Natsu." She was aghast, this speech would later have her thinking, "I soon realized that my friends and loved ones all died because of me…so I isolated myself from them in that sword's body." Natsu thought about Arahabaki, the five petals…

"How did you regain control?" he looked at her with a grim expression,

"I realized that I would never die a puppet controlled by a demonic entity…there were innocent people out there, loved ones I still held onto that needed to live." He smiled as he spoke, "I soon broke free from the cursed sword's grasp."

Natsu halted her steps, she was barely into the woodlands when she thought, "I'm a threat to Xiba and Leixia." She thought. But there had to be a way to keep in control. As long as she had them around, Arahabaki couldn't break another lock, could she? Natsu didn't know, she didn't want to know either.

The handsome young man approached the trio, Xiba demanded an answer, "Who are you?" he repeated.

"I'm just a fellow wanderer…just marveling at the glorious nature." He had no weapons on him, nor did he seem like a threat, but more like the guy one would want to avoid at parties. Leixia was annoyed,

"Why did you creep up on us like that?" the fellow looked at Xiba with great interest. He backed up a step,

"That staff you hold, is it yours?"

"Yes. It is." Xiba bit back with a cold tone, "And I'm not fond of sharing it." Maxi stepped close to the man,

"Alright, cut the crap. Either tell us why you're here or get lost." He threatened. The man laughed,

"You mock me. I just noticed this young man's rod, how cunning it was…how glorious." Xiba held it tightly in his hand, "May I see it."

"Back off." Xiba commanded, irritated. Leixia drew her blade, holding the end towards the stranger,

"You should listen to us. We don't mess around." She bitterly exclaimed. Natsu was missing all the fun she thought, but something was misleading about the man…he slapped her.

"Hey!" Maxi asserted, getting aggressive. He equipped his nunchaku, "You don't mess around with kids buddy!" He laughed demonically, his voice suddenly dwindling…a strange echo to it, it deepened,

"You don't know how _you're…__**messing **_**with!**" The man burst into flames, engulfing his body into them. All stunned and bewildered they leapt back. His flesh slowly melted, revealing a skull in flames, a skeleton with its organs cleanly in sight, dark and hidden from the flames that surrounded him.

"What is that?!" Leixia yelled. Natsu was getting farther into the woods, it looked like rain above…but that wasn't rain. That was smoke! She suddenly smelled it,

"A forest fire?" she thought. But when she looked ahead, she saw the large mass of flames. As if a wall of defense was built to keep people out. The ninja ran closer, in a frenzy on how she could get around the fire. She held her breath; the smoke would fill her lungs. "Agh!" she yelped when a branch from above nearly crushed her. She'd stepped out of the way just in time. "I have to get to the others!" she panicked, they were in trouble!

The man was finished peeling away into a necromancer, the walking torch of a skeleton. It wielded a large sword. It was only a replica of Soul Edge. It was the hellish counterpart of Soul Calibur, Inferno.


	5. Xiba vs Inferno

**Souls_&_Swords: Perfect SC songs for this chapter, **_**Immortal Flame **_**and **_**Hellfire.**_

Smoke covered the mid-morning sky; it now appeared to be a beautiful night in hell as flames raced across the forest floors and trees. The man engulfed with flames with his half-domed shape skull, hardened limbs with claws stared at his prey with delight. He thrashed his blade in the air, sending flames towards Leixia; she scrammed far away from the grounds as flames surrounded her in a circle. The heat ate at her flesh. Inferno then swung in the opposite direction, trapping Maxi in a prison of fire as well.

"XIBA!" Leixia cried in fear. She could see a distorted vision of what was happening. She couldn't even help him. Oh he was pissed off now,

"Let them go you freak." He hissed through his teeth. His grip on the staff tightened, his hands were red from the pressure. The wild boy could barely understand the creature's words,

"You're a brave young man aren't you?" the monstrous voice bellowed. Xiba stepped forward, his pendant jingled,

"I'm _serious_!" he shouted, "If you don't extinguish those flames **now **I will **MURDER YOU**!" the creature of the damned laughed, Leixia cringed at the noise. Her ears rang. Maxi stared in hatred,

"You think you're righteous, just because you follow the path of the weak and foolish?" he mocked. Xiba only stared in anger, getting into his fighting stance. "You only chose this path because you don't want to be like your father." Xiba's pulse had skipped a beat, he could hear the pendant's rattling in his ears. Everything froze.

"What…did you say?"

"Your father." The flaming knight of death repeated, "You only follow the path of what you call 'justice' because you never wanted to be like him." Xiba twinged with fear, "Those eyes…that weapon…your goals…you're just like your father." Those words tore at Xiba's heart,

"Xiba! Don't listen to him!" Leixia screamed over the roaring crackles of the fire. He was frozen with fear, ironic with all the flames around them. Meanwhile, Natsu was scattering through the forest trying to find a path around the fire to reach her comrades.

"You were born to grow up into a man like him…" Xiba held his head, trying to ignore his words, "You're his flesh and blood."

"Stop!" He screamed.

"Xiba, no! It's not true!" Leixia continued to yell, but her words were in vain. Xiba was snapping, and Maxi could see it.

"I've gotta snap him out of it before that thing kills him!" He thought, he stood up in his spot, "Xiba! Listen to me!" Xiba was brought back to reality, Inferno flinched, this wasn't supposed to happen, "Your father may have hurt you, mistreated you, and abused you…but once upon a time, Kilik was a great man!" he announced, reminding Xiba it wasn't all his fault, "So maybe you are a little bit like him…the good him! When I first met him, he was brave, smart, and strong! And you're all of those things!" his words poked at the teenager's heart. Xiba was conflicted at what to believe. "I know it's hard to let go and accept the truth! But you have to! You have to focus on what's in front of you and stop looking back into the darkness!"

Xiba heeded his words…he was tired of holding everything in…he was NOT like his father. Xiba was different. He grasped Kali Yuga in his hands and got into a stance once more. Leixia grew even more concerned, "Xiba…"

"Alright you freak. If you want my staff, come and get it from me!" he demanded, feistier than ever before. Inferno laughed maniacally,

"You fool! Your staff is meaningless to me! What I desire…is your body." Xiba flinched,

"Uh…"

"No! Not like that you moron!" He corrected, "A man of fine health and a strong physique, you will be the perfect father to rebirth Soul Edge." Something lodged within him twitched. A thick, meaty and bloody mass that grew off of the man like a tumor was now in plain sight, Xiba backed away, disgusted,

"What is that?!"

"The female Soul Edge needs a male to complete her body…and then a female to birth it…" The female Soul Edge? This wasn't good, the three were all in muddy waters, "Once she is reborn, the two will unite together once more and we will claim the world as our own!"

Xiba shook his head, his wild red hair wavered in the strong winds, "No way am I gonna host some freak sword!"

"It's not the sword we are birthing…it is the soul within the sword." Inferno interjected. Leixia was disturbed, she even felt nauseas. "Once she is reborn, we will take her soul and make her part of her brother sword once again!"

"Oh no YOU'RE NOT!" Xiba rushed towards the man in flames, the heat not even burning his flesh. He plunged his rod into the man, whose oversized weapon blocked the impact, and shoved him aside.

"Xiba! Be careful!" Leixia cried.

"This isn't good!" Maxi yelped.

Natsu finally found a thick path of fallen debris and bundle with piles of flames surrounding it; she jumped when a sudden flare of fire jumped out at her, "What the hell? It's like the fire has a will of its own!" she screamed. That's when she looked around, so much smoke had filled the sky that it appeared it was midnight. She looked around worriedly, trying to find her way, but alas, the ninja was hopelessly lost.

"This is bad!" she screamed aloud, trying to alert someone, _anyone _that she was in trouble.

Xiba pushed himself off the ground, rushing to get back onto his feet. He staggered just a bit, but he heard the rapid footsteps approach from behind. "XIBA!" Leixia was on Inferno's last nerve, "BEHIND YOU!"

"Huh?" Xiba had turned at just the right moment. He performed a throw move known as Cutting Sadness, he spun around his opponent, kicking him twice and then striking him down with Kali Yuga, "SOYAH!" he cried out, spinning his staff triumphantly. Xiba figured he may as well have fun; he grew playful.

As Inferno lifted himself from the burning, tarnished grounds when he rose, Xiba wasn't there. "Over here!" a cheerful voice called. Xiba was in his "Remembrance Stance" he then slammed his rod down on top of the man's body. Xiba then performed "Monkey Smack" hitting his downed opponent four times with the end of his rod, he then performed "Ling Sheng Su Sweep" a simple low kick. Inferno was getting tired of games, he lifted himself up,

"Alright, I hope you've had your fun!" He needed that boy's body for the soul, "But let's get serious shall we?" Xiba smirked,

"Oh, yeah." He hoisted Kali Yuga. The two then fought each other, slamming rod and sword together. Hardly any progress on either ends was being made, except Xiba's energy was slowly wearing out. Leixia and Maxi watched with horror.

Xiba's heart was racing, but his oxygen couldn't keep up with it. He panted desperately, his movements slowed down, Inferno seized the moment and grabbed the boy's open shirt, "AH!" he shouted as he was lifted into the air and slammed onto the ground below, Xiba was barely on the brink of consciousness but he forced himself to stay awake. The crimson-haired wild boy wouldn't be defeated that easily.

After squirming out of the flaming man's grasp he repeatedly jabbed and swooped Kali Yuga forward with all of his might. As he was about to attack him once more, the rod suddenly glowed a dark yellow aura. Xiba paused just briefly, stunned by the sight. Maxi was awestruck. Xiba hesitated, not sure what was going on, Inferno charged towards him, roaring out like an animal,

"NO! XIBA!" Leixia cried. But as Inferno darted closer, Xiba slammed the rod onto the ground vertically, creating a pathway of energy that went four feet in front of him. The man engulfed in flames was knocked backwards. There was a brief silence in the hellish world. Leixia shuddered, still not quite able to see past the circle of fire that surrounded her.

Inferno pulled himself together, the flames on his body had extinguished. As if they were knocked off and scattered across the floors…they were! While the fire and smoke that suffocated the forest still lingered, this fight was not over. Xiba was bruised and cut, he wasn't sure how much longer he could do this. He gasped for air. But he looked at the staff in his hands with a new perspective…this was something he'd never seen before.

He heard a lion-like roar from in front of him, Inferno raised his arms and the scattered flames returned to his body, the sky still drenched with smoke as the sun that had been blocked out was possibly setting by now. Xiba wasn't strong enough…he couldn't even stand up straight. Even Maxi could tell, but there was no escape from his enflamed prison. "If Xiba keeps this up, he'll only hurt himself."

Leixia knew something was wrong, she hadn't heard anything in over five minutes. She opened her mouth to call, "Xiba-?" a sudden skull that's mouth drenched blood appeared in front of her shrieking. She screamed and fell to her knees, covering her eyes. "Oh!" she whimpered in fear, now shaking. Inferno stepped away from her fired cage, laughing. Xiba only looked at him hatefully,

"It's fun being evil." Natsu continued plodding through the fallen wasteland of a forest, while she finally found a serene spot with no fire; she could still see the illumination of it from a far distance. Smoke had reached the atmosphere. The ginger-blonde ninja stopped to catch her breath when her left shoulder ached her. Natsu groaned, grasping at it. She fell to the ground, using one hand to hold her up,

"Oh god! Why is this happening?" This made no sense, why was Arahabaki suddenly tapping in? Inferno slowly approached the debilitated warrior,

"You get to kill all of the weak, simple-minded fools and in return, you get billions of souls…filled with their emotions and memories." He caressed his cheek with his claws; Xiba was too exhausted, emotionally and physically. "Sometimes you can even watch their finally sights just before they died…you can watch them again…" he went on, "and again…and again…"

"Didn't you come close to dying Xiba?" it mumbled. Xiba's brown eyes widened with fear, "Didn't your father try to kill you just a few months ago?" Leixia nodded,

"No…" she sobbed.

"And then look what you did." He lowered Xiba's arm protector and revealed the deep slash across his wrist, "Tsk, Tsk, Tsk, you wanted to end your pain didn't you?" Inferno feigned paternalism,

"XIBA!" Maxi shouted violently, "PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER!" Xiba was too light-headed, he couldn't breathe, he craved rest…but he knew he wasn't getting it. He'd crossed his body's limits…just as his father always wanted him to. Inferno took his sword and morphed it into a long staff.

"Now…let's watch the way you died…shall we?" he inched it back, Xiba began breathing violently, Leixia could suddenly see clearly past the flames, her worst fears, Inferno thrusted the staff forward,

"XIBAAAAA!" she cried into the night, there was a heavy thud that echoed into the night. The flames and smoke did not cease, but for Xiba they did. The wild boy looked down to see the end of a rod right where his heart was. When the wild boy looked up, he saw Kilik's face, full of repulse and hatred. He was in the Conqueror's Coliseum…it was the succession ceremony…And those were his last sights as his body fell to the floor.

X-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-X

"NO!" Maxi choked, he fought back tears, they were still in a physical manifestation of hell, as well as their own personal one. Leixia was in too much pain and numbness to react. Not even tears were good enough for describing her grief. Inferno then threw the 'rod' down. It was swallowed up by flames and disappeared into oblivion. He didn't need it anymore. And to think, Xiba's hand was still tightly clenching Kali Yuga.

"Now…it is time," he reached into his chest and ripped out the fleshy matter, "For Judgment Day!" the strange pulsating egg beated like a heart in his hand. Leixia could only nod as her inaudible screams tried to escape her mouth. She truly thought she was screaming…but no sound escaped her throat.

"No…" she could see the golden-hearted boy's body stomach-flat down on the floor, "Xiba…" she slowly stood up, her knees were too weak and she fell back down, "Xiba." She began to cry, her throat felt as though she was swallowing knives, "Xiba!" she struggled, "Wake up!" she begged. There was no response. His eyes were indeed open, but there was no life to them like there was before, "I love you Xiba!" she bawled, "I love you so much! SO PLEASE! WAKE UP!"

Inferno paused on his process, laughing at the pirate's and the swordswoman's grief. "You fools…did you honestly think that he stood a chance against me?"

"You bastard." Maxi whimpered, the flamed skeleton looked at him, "He was just a kid…and you knew that."

Inferno smiled grisly, "Didn't I tell you? It's fun being evil." Leixia only stared into his eyes, not only the flames and smoke blurred her vision but now it was the thick, course tears in her eyes that couldn't seem to find their way out. Xiba's pupil shifted directions from nothingness, right into Leixia's eyes. She froze.

"And maybe, I'll use this stupid girl," he walked over to the ring of fire that imprisoned her, "To birth the being." Leixia shuddered, too convulsed for words.

Xiba's fist tightened around the Kali Yuga. His pendant did its trademark rattling as he pushed his upper body off the ground. The two Asians were awestruck as Inferno was flabbergasted; though it was a struggle, the red-haired monkey boy hefted his body back onto his feet. His heart was still beating. "WHAT?!" The flames on his body flared with rage. He still held the pulsating being in his hand.

Natsu's mark had stopped hurting, but when she looked into her hand, no blood. There was still five petals left! She'd celebrate now but she didn't have time, she had to find the others.

"HOW?!" Xiba stared angrily and strongly into his non-existent eyes. Xiba was angry now…he expressed it very vaguely,

"I think I should tell you something…no matter how scared I am…or how much pain I'm in…" he looked at Leixia, "I **refuse** to die." He smiled and gazed into her eyes. Leixia was overjoyed and she now cried soft tears of happiness. He hoisted Kali Yuga,

"Enough of this nonsense," he squeezed the matter, whatever it was, "You are what I need, to bring back my power!"

Xiba shook his head and with a silent, mysterious tone he whispered, "Go back to hell son of a bitch." He threw himself towards the man, knocking the matter out of his claws. It landed on the floor. Xiba hit him three times with the wooden rod, violently and harshly. It knocked the skeletal man away. Maxi was relieved.

Xiba approached the matter; he tried smashing it with Kali Yuga. Nothing happened, "Huh?" he began to worry. No matter how much force he put into it, there wasn't any reaction. Inferno stood up, igniting large, blue flames into hands, preparing to burn Xiba to death. He was running out of options.

He dropped his staff and started squeezing the fleshy, wet material; it left blood stains on his hands. "What the hell do I do?!" he cried out. His heart pounded as Inferno prepared his new weapon of destruction. Xiba didn't have any time. All he could think of was get rid of the damn thing. He had no other choice. Xiba stuffed the thing into his mouth and swallowed it whole. It tasted like the most disgusting thing he'd ever eaten, times then. Leixia looked away in disgust.

Xiba's stomach then rejected the being he'd swallowed. Not realizing what he'd just done…it was what Inferno had wanted; his body fertilized it, then it came back up. Xiba got down on all fours and began gagging violently. His body heaved, yet no waste came out. He made retched vomiting noises, his throat tasted like bile and blood as he felt a large, strange material climb its way up his mouth,

"HERE SHE COMES!" Inferno shouted with glee, Xiba gagged and heaved, "ACK! ACK! UGHHHA!" A small, red, bloody fleshy being landed on the ground in front of him…it was her…she was the fetus before him. Xiba's eyes were teary, his body bruised, beaten, weak, but this was his chance. He crossed the Rubicon and grabbed Kali Yuga, he allowed it to be surrounded by flames as he prepared to perform the move "Yin and Yang" a powerful blow into the ground. Inferno panicked,

"NO! YOU BASTARD!" he rushed towards the fetal Soul Edge,

"HEY!" Xiba called getting his attention, "GO BIG OR GO HOME!"

There was an explosion.


	6. A Bargain

The flames extinguished, the smoke cleared, revealing a beautiful, dusk sky. It was nearing nightfall. The sounds of crickets and birds suddenly returned. But no one knew what just happened at all. Leixia had covered her head with her arms when she heard the sonic boom, but she felt no impact at all. However, she could breathe more clearly, and the air was suddenly cooler. Her flesh and clothes were covered in ashes.

Natsu stood in the suddenly peaceful forest; she now had an idea of where she was. She rushed in what she believed was the right direction; she sensed the others' presence. Maxi leapt up, the force had knocked him backward, "What the hell…?" the trees were pretty much gone, vanished along with any other wildlife. "Leixia!" he saw her still cowering. She loosened her posture,

"Are you alright?" he lifted her to her feet,

"I'm fine." She coughed whatever smoke that was left over out of her lungs,

"We need to get you some water." He patted her back.

"Where's Xiba?" the Washu looked around, her short wavy hair now tangled and messy.

"Guys!" Natsu called, pacing towards them, she'd never been happier to see them before. But as she got closer, she was appalled at the sight of them, "Oh my god! Are you all okay?" Leixia hugged her, knowing she'd need one.

"We're all fine." Maxi reassured "I'm sure Xiba's around here somewhere." He tried to remain calm, even though he was panicked about Xiba's location.

"Xiba! Where is he?!" Natsu looked to and fro, but when Leixia turned to her left and gasped, they found him. His staff was about ten feet away from him; he was on his side with his arms splayed out. They couldn't tell if he was breathing or not. The three rushed towards him, Leixia turned him on a supine position on his back, leaning over him. Natsu knelt down at his side, trying to sense for injuries,

"Xiba." Leixia shook him, "Xiba, open your eyes!" she begged. As if on command, Xiba did as told, blinking them, his lively brown eyes were in sight again, he still didn't make any movements, "Xiba." Leixia smiled with relief. Maxi breathed out, _overcome _with relief.

"Leixia?" he sounded so weak…he could barely speak. He didn't even turn his head towards her, he was trying to confirm if she was there or not, "Are you here?" Leixia recoiled in worry, she turned his head towards her, Xiba looked right into her eyes,

"I'm here." Her fawn eyes gleamed, Natsu removed her hand from his chest, "I'm here Xiba…" Xiba pouted, a look of fear,

"I can't see you." He whined, welting up.

"What do you mean?" Leixia replied, Natsu and Maxi were both puzzled,

"I can't see anything Leixia." He was panicked, his body too weak to express it, only tears fell from his shiny eyes, "I can't move either!"

"It's gonna be okay." She laid his head down in her palm, "Natsu's going to help you!"

"I can't…" Leixia's head whipped to her left, "I don't sense any internal injuries or any type of neural or brain damage…I don't know what's wrong."

Xiba's chest shot in and out as he choked on tears, panicked, "Xiba." Leixia soothed him, "Xiba, it's going to be okay. It's probably just from the explosion." Natsu's stomach twisted; explosion?

"No…Leixia, I can feel my heart slowing down…" he was terrified, Xiba never realized what fear was until now, "I've never felt this before." Maxi looked at Kali Yuga about ten feet away. He walked over to it, as he went to pick it up, a vision of Soul Edge's eye flashed before him. Maxi jumped back and dropped the staff.

"What the hell?"

"Xiba, Xiba…" Leixia attempted to calm him, Natsu stood up next to her two companions…in shock that she was useless in this situation…her powers were of no help now. "Refuse to die…remember, refuse to die." She gently shushed him. Xiba gulped,

"I'm trying Leixia, but my heart just keeps going down." He cried, "I'm sorry." Leixia grew uneasy, "I'm sorry I can't refuse this time." Xiba sobbed. The fifteen year old girl gently leaned closer and hugged the boy there on the ground. He couldn't even hug her back. Natsu's face began to scrunch up, it began to redden…no, this wasn't happening.

Leixia pulled herself back up, "Do you still feel me?" she brushed his bangs away from his eyes. Xiba nodded,

"Mm hm. I can feel you holding me." He whispered, terrified. "I can feel the cold beads on my mom's necklace…" he gave another example. "Leixia," she lifted his chin, although he couldn't see her, she wanted to look into his eyes as long as possible, despite the tears that came into hers,

"Am I like my father?"

Leixia smiled and nodded, "No." she whispered, "You're still my monkey boy." She laughed. Xiba's breaths slowed down, he began to calm down, "You're my brave…beautiful Xiba." She closed her eyes, leaned forward, and gently locked her lips on his. They tasted so warm and soft; the beautiful sound of the smacking proved her first kiss to be…the best satisfaction she could ask for. Natsu didn't react to the kiss, she could only think that this was her fault…if she were there, she could've saved them…

Leixia pulled away. Xiba was stunned, he'd felt the warmth of another girl's lips on his…and it was a girl he liked no less…he was pretty damn happy. "Xiba, do you like me?" she repeated the question she asked the last time they were separated,

"I like you a lot, Leixia." He whispered. "I'm sorry for pretending I was going to hit you." He joked; Leixia chuckled tearfully, reminding her of how they first met. Xiba's head fell to the side, "Leixia-" his voice suddenly sounded worried, he began to breathe rapidly Maxi heard the plight and rushed back over, forgetting about the staff.

"Shh. Shh! Xiba," she tried to comfort him, "Shh! I'm here…I'm here!" she gently closed his eyes, though she didn't want him too.

"Leixia…" he moaned, "I'm not in pain anymore…" The wild boy fell silent. Overwhelmed with misery, lost in despair, Leixia bawled into his chest, holding him. She cried loudly into the night. Natsu fell to her knees, sobbing hysterically. Maxi sobbed.

The trio grieved for their beloved monkey boy, Xiba.

X-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-X

Nightfall had approached while the wails and tears may have ceased, the sadness lingered. Leixia, exhausted from mourning, slept atop on Xiba's body, he head nuzzled against his chest. Maxi had fallen out too, but he was still on his knees, he looked like he was thinking. He wasn't asleep like Leixia, just too tired to even physically attempt anything.

Natsu looked bitterly at her dear friend once again…this was all her fault. Natsu cried into her hands for about the third time that night, she couldn't even apologize to him…she didn't even have the nerve to say goodbye…it was her fault, it was her fault…

_There is a way you know… _her voice spoke in her head. Though it wasn't her true thoughts, _If you send adrenaline to his heart, he will be one with the living again._

Natsu uncovered her eyes, red from exhaustion and tears, "How do I know I can trust you?" Arahabaki laughed,

_You see, it's a win-win situation honey; you get your little friend back, and I get a closer chance of freedom._

Natsu then thought about it. Arahabaki wasn't doing it because she cared about Xiba, she was bribing her with a mutually beneficial plan. "No…" she whispered.

_The decision's all yours… _the voice ceased. Natsu nodded…what choice did she have? It didn't matter. She just wanted her dearest friend back, "I don't care what you do to me…just please…" she shut her eyes, "Keep your word." Natsu knew it wasn't a guaranteed trust, but she decided it was worth the risk.

_As you wish._

Natsu gently shook Leixia, "Leixia." She whispered, she jerked up after blinking once or twice, "I going to try to save him…" the Washu looked in the ninja's sorrowful green eyes,

"I-I thought you said you couldn't."

"Well I'm going to try." She whispered, placing her hand on top of each other and placing them over his heart,

_Focus on your heart beat, once you feel adrenaline, transfer the energy into his body. I'll get it started for you…_

Natsu gasped at a sudden jab in her spinal cord, causing her to jump. But that did it, her heart rate steadily increased, as well as her body temperature. Maxi shook his head, trying to stay awake, then he saw the tawny haired ninja over their deceased comrade. Leixia held her hands tightly, as if praying this would work. She kept her full attention on Natsu's hands.

_Good! Good! Now prepare, I'll try and get the blood flowing. _Arahabaki eagerly delighted in helping her own escape. Natsu could feel beads of sweat form; she breathed tensely preparing for the right moment. _Prepare…get ready!_

Natsu felt her body twitch violently and then, like with her energy beams, shoved the adrenaline into the boy's body. It twitched slightly, but there was no other reaction. Leixia knelt over him, "Did it work?!" Natsu felt the back of her left shoulder; only to feel warm blood…four petals…half of the chains had been broken.

She heard a breath from below her. "Xiba?" Leixia hopefully teared up, holding his head up. Maxi rushed over, "Xiba?" she repeated. His chest slowly and heavily moved in and out…his brown eyes opened, though droopy, they were open and full of the beaming life Leixia adored.


End file.
